Drill pipe protector applicator



May 11, 1954 1 w. BALLARD 2,677,880

DRILL PIPE PROTECTOR APPLICATOR Original Filed Oct. 24, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet l *Y f5 4 J2 Il V 5437 4 E 76 73 72 56W la? I f mi 4.9 f i l 7/ :I' 70V Z 44 s 67 J3 iv 6 1165 y@ 5 64 f ffff /0- hf/ 73/ MELZTE INVENToR. BY 5575/? A/mum ATT-mwa Y- May ll, 1954 w. BALLARD 2,677,880

DRILL PIPE PROTECTOR APPLICATOR Original Filed Oct. 24, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 52 Cim/@tau May 11, 1954 L.. w. BALLARD 2,677,880

DRILL PIPE PROTECTOR APPLICATOR Original Filed Oct. 24, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. 55u-A M 5ML/mp. Z/ Z5 f2@ Z4@ BY Patented May 11, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,6 7 7 ,880 DRILL PIPE PROTECTOR APPLICATOR Lester W. Ballard, Avenal,

mesne assignments, of one-half Calif., assignor, by to Tuboscope Company, Harris County, Tex., a corporation of Delaware Original application October 24, 1947, Serial No.

781,931, now Patent No. ruary 21, 1950. Divided February 17, 1950, Serial 4 Claims.

a drill pipe that has been inserted into the mandrel.

The hydraulic press that is 'otector to the mandrel is quite heavy and mandrel and onto the drill pipe.

It has previously been proposed to attach an expander cone to the lower end of a drill pipe, to insert the small end of the cone into a protector, and to force the protector over the eX- 2,497,921, dated Feh- I and this application No. 144,867

pander cone and onto the tool joint of a drill pipe. One of such proposals contemplated utilizing the Weight of the drill pipe to force the cone clownwardly through the protector while the latter was supported by an abutment means. Another such proposal contemplated inserting a cone having cone and onto the drill pipe. However, none of such prior devices have proved satisfactory for commercial operation, although a delinite need for an apparatus that would speed up and reapplying drill pipe promandrel and then forcing it 01T onto the drill pipe, and a detachable non-yielding, mechanical connection between the small end of the cone and the hydraulic press to permit the protectors to be inserted between the cone and the hydraulic The small end of the cone is connected to a stationary part of the to the xed portion of the press and the detachable connection is located between the upper end of the stem and the small end of the cone. This is an important characteristic of the invention, since it (a) provides for maximum ease of application of the new protectors (simply dropping them over the upper end of the stem projecting upwardly from the follower sleeve) (b) assures the new protector staying in place until the cone is attached to the stem (as contrasted to the difiiculty of having the protector tend to drop off of a stem constituting a fixed part of the cone); (c) locates the detachable connection near the top of the apparatus where it is clearly visible so that the operator need not fumble blindly in making the connection; and (d) provides for maintaining the position of the follower sleeve by the stem projecting upwardly therethrough. The connection is a positive mechanical one, capable of adequately withstanding the heavy loads applied to it as the protector is expanded over the cone, and requiring no assistance from the weight o the drill pipe in holding the cone in a xed position while the protector is expanded thereover. Another important feature of the invention is the provision for loose reception of the entire tool joint within the mandrel, whereby the protector may be passed entirely over the mandrel and directly onto the drill pipe, and whereby the drill pipe may be lifted or permitted to move upwardly as the protector is moved ofi the upper end of the mandrel and commences to grip the drill pipe.

The invention has as its primary object to provide an apparatus combining the above stated characteristics in order to successfully achieve the rapid application of protectors to drill pipes hanging suspended in a derrick, completely eliminating the necessity for carrying a mandrel bacl and forth between an expanding apparatus and an applying apparatus, and reducing the time required for appli-cation to only a fraction of the time required by existing commercial apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide a protector installing apparatus of maximum compactness, and yet having ample power for handling the heaviest loads met with in applying protectors. Another object is to provide for adequately guarding the operator against injury resulting from rupturing of the protector as it is being expanded over the cone. An unrestrained protector, fiying from an expanding cone or mandrel after having split wide open under the expanding strain, is a dangerous missile, and serious injuries have been caused thereby. My invention utilizes a cylindrical sleeve which functions both as a guard member within which the protector and the follower sleeve are both embraced during the entire expanding operation, and also as a means to transmit to the movable abutment member carried by its lower end, pressure that is appiied to its upper end by the hydraulic engine in which the power is developed. Such engine comprises two spaced cylinders defining an annular pressure chamber having an annular piston therein, and an annular propelling member extends upwardly from the piston and engages an abutment extending radially outwardly from the upper end of the guard sleeve. This makes it possible to locate the abutment on which the follower sleeve rests, at the bottom of the apparatus and to thereby reduce the overall height of the apparatus to a minimum for a given length of stroke of the hydraulic engine.

An important object of my invention is to provide an installing apparatus that can be placed directly upon the floor of a derrick alongside the rotary table thereof and into the upper end of which the lower ends of suspended sections of drill pipes can be successively inserted for tho application of protectors thereon and then withdrawn and attached to the upper end of a sec-- tion supported in the rotary table. Since the center of suspension of this drill pipe is directly over the center of the rotary table, the invention contemplates swinging the drill pipe to one side in order to receive it in the upper end of the installing apparatus. The invention provides for this by hinging the hydraulic engine in a supporting easel so that the engine may assume the angle of inclination of the drill pipe while the easel rests flatly in a level position on the door.

A further object is to provide for protecting the installingapparatus against shocks and jars occasioned by lowering the drill pipe thereinto. This is accomplished by the inter-position of cushioning means between the hydraulic engine and the supporting easel.

A further object is to provide an apparatus of the type outlined above, having means for adapting it to protectors having different internal diameters. This is accomplished in simple manner by providing an adapter tube that will fit over the stern in order to increase the diameter thereof.

Another object is to provide a press having hydraulic means for moving the piston thereof both upwardly and downwardly vand safety means for automatically cutting off the application ci pressure to the piston when it has reached a limit of its upward stroke.

Other objects will become apparent in the ensuing; specifications and appended drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a protector applyingI apparatus involving my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, with the small portion thereof shown in sections;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional View taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a vertical axial sectional view of the apparatus Fig. 7 is a schematic view showing the operatien or the apparatus in an oil well derrick.;

Fig. 8 is an axial sectional view of a modified form of the invention; and

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional View form of the invention.

As an example of one forni in which my invention may be embodied, I have shown in the drawings an installing apparatus comprising a supporting easel, indicated generally at l', and hydraulic press which is indicated generally at 8.

Referring now to Fig. 6, the hydraulic press 8 includes a hydraulic engine embodying an annular piston 9 that is vertically slidable between spaced coaxial cylinders II) and I! respectively. The lower ends of the cylinders IB and ii are integrally joined by a base ring I2, and an annular iuid chamber I3 is defined between the base ring IZ and piston 9, into which fluid for forcing the piston upwardly, may be injected. An annular packing collar I5 of flexible material such as leather is attached to the under face of the piston 9 and makes sealing engagement with the opposed walls of the cylinders I!! and ii. The inner face of the piston 9 has bearing engagement with the adjacent wall of the cylinder I0 to position the piston. Secured to and projectof a modified ing upwardly from the piston 9 is a sleeve i6 the outer face of which has bearing engagement upper end of the cylinder i I The sleeve le, when moved upwardly, engages a flange i9 projecting outwardly from the upper end of a guard sleeve 25. The guard sleeve 2e projects downwardly inside the cylinder I il and carries at its lower end an annular abutment shoulder 2l. The sleeve i6 functions both as a means to transmit movement from the piston 9 to the guard sleeve 2d, and also means to provide one annular wall of a iluid chamber #i8 in which fluid pressure may operate on the pist-on il to move it downwardly. The chamber [i8 is defined between the sleeve it, the outer cylinder il, a packing ring attached to the cap ring il and engaging the sleeve it, and a packing ring fl'i attached to the piston e and engaging the cylinder il.

Projecting upwardly through the hole 252 in the center of the abutment shoulder 2l is a guide stem 23 the lower end of which is permanently anchored to a xed sill member 24. The ends of the sill member ze extend beneath opposite side portions of the cylinder base ring i2 and are secured thereto, preferably by welding as in- Thus the stem 25:2 constitutes the apparatus, and the annushoulder Zl is adapted to move upwardly relative to the stem 23. The upper end of the stem 23 is provided with an internally threaded socket 25. An expander cone 26 has at its smaller end a shank 2l or the same diameter as the stem 23 and terminating. in a reduced threaded portion 23 adapted to be threaded into the threaded socket 25 to provide a quickly detachable connection between the stern and the cone. The larger end of the cone is continued to form a hollow cylindrical mandrel 29 into which the lower end of a suspended drill pipe including the tool joint Si thereof, be loosely received.

A resilient follower sleeve supported upon the annular abutment shoulder fil and the stem 23 extends upwardly therethrough. A resilient drill pipe protector collar or soft rubber or equivalent material is shown supported upon the upper end of the follower 32. The stem 23 projects upwardly beyond the upper end of the sleeve to a sufficient height so as to project entirely through a protector collar 33 of the largest size commonly used for drill pipe protection, with its upper end exposed to permit ready insertion of the threaded end 23 of the mandrel into the socket 25. The sleeve is of rubber or other material having sunicient ability to stretch so as to expand over the cone i6 and onto the mandrel 2S. The inner diameter of the sleeve 32 is considerably larger than the diameter of the stem 23, so as to reduce the amount of expansion that the sleeve 32 must undergo in order to stretch to the diameter of the mandrel. The outer diameter of the sleeve 32 is considerably less than the inner diameter of the guard sleeve 2li, suiliciently so that the sleeve not at any time expand into contact with the wall of the guard sleeve.

The stroke of the hydraulic engine is adequate to move the protector collar 33 onto the mandrel 2H to a position, such as that indicated at 33 in Fig. 6 in which the lower end of the collar is above the plane of the flange i9 at the upper end of the guard sleeve. In the next stroke of the i2 has its lower end apparatus, while a new collar is being moved up to this position, the previous collar will be moved on the end of the mandrel by pressure applied thereto through an abutment member receiving movement from the Iiange I s. Such abutment member may compr1se simply a flat washer Mia, such as that shown in Fig. 8, slipped over the cone 2B and mandrel 29 below the previously expanded collar 33 and brought to rest against the flange IQ as the mandrel is reattached to the stein 23, or it may comprise the more elaborate gated rectangular base plate 35 having a central, depending collar Sii along its longitudinal sides. loosely receivable slides 38 each having a semi-circular guard 39 secured to its upper surface and projecting upwardly therefrom, and each having a seIni-circum lar inner extremity projecting inwardly from the guard 3e in the form oi a liange or shoulder on which is seated a semi-circular abutment member 453. .abutment members 1li! of varying inner diameters may be detachably secured to the flange 33 by screws ll as indicated in Fig. 3. Slidably mounted in cylindrical capsules l2 attached to the outer sides of the guards 3S, a, pail' of latch bolts le are urged downwardly by coil springs it into lato-hing engagement in openings i5 in the base plate 35, in order to position the abutments it in selected positions of adjustment relative to the mandrel 29, and to hold them against spreading under the reaction of a protector collar 33 thereagainst as the latter is pushed olf the upper end of the mandrel.

Fluid under pressure may be injected from a manifold sie into the chamber d8 in order to force the piston 9 downwardly. A manifold 50 communicates with the chamber S8 at a level below the manifold te, and functions to provide a bypass for releasing pressure from the chamber I3 when the piston ilA has reached an upper limit of movement. similarly spaced .s into thel chamber i3 (through an inlet 52) similarly functions to relieve chamber @il when the piston 9 has reached a lower limit of movement. In each case, the pressure relief functions to prevent damage to the hydraulic engine in the event the operator should fail to shut oi the huid How when a limit of piston movement has been reached.

Communication between the manifolds e9, eil and 5l and the chambers 43 and i3 is established through a large number of small, closely spaced ports 53 extending through the cylinder H and distributed round the entire circumference thereof. Where the diameter of the cylinder Il is, for example, two feet, the ports 53 may be approximately inch apart, thus providing for unrestricted fluid flow into and out of the pressure chambers and even distribution of iuid pressure around the circumference of the chambers.

The hydraulic system includes a two-way valve 5@ having a control lever 55 which may be adjusted from the neutral position shown in Fig. l to either of two flow positions one on either side of said neutral position. A. pressure line 55 delivers liuid into the valve 54 through an inlet. and a return line 57 carries fluid from the valve the pressure in the outlet back to the power driven pump that is employed for pumping the fluid through the pressure line S. From the valve 54, a delivery pipe leads to the lower cylinder inlet 52, and a bypass 59 leads from the manifold 5l back to the delivery line 58 through a check valve ESB which permits now only in the return direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. l. From anothe'r outlet of the valve 54, a delivery line 6| leads to the manifold 49, and a bypass 62 leads from the manifold 55 back to the delivery line Gl through a check valve 63 adapted to pass fluid only in the return direction as indicated by the arrow. In one of the flow positions, the valve 54 will direct pressure fluid from the pressure line 56 to the delivery line 58 and thence into the lower chamber I3 to move the piston 9 upwardly while return fluid from the chamber 48 passes from the manifold 49 through the delivery line 6l and the valve 54 to the return line 51. When the upper limit of piston movement has been reached, pressure fluid in the chamber i3 will be bypassed through the bypass 52 and check valve 63 to the delivery line 5l thus preventing further piston movement. In the other flow position of the valve pressure fluid from pressure line 55 will be directed -upwardly through delivery line Si and manifold 49 into chamber 48 to move the piston downwardly, while the fluid from chamber I3 is exhausted through connection outlet 52 delivery line 58 back to the valve 54. When the downward limit of piston movement has been reached, the pressure in the chamber 48 will be relieved through manifold 5|, bypass 59 and check valve 50 to delivery tube 58.

The easel 1 comprises a pair of base members E?, connected by cross members 65 each having secured thereto and projecting upwardly therefrom, a pair of upwardly converging legs B6. The upper ends of each pair of legs 66 are secured to a vertical sleeve 61 in which is telescoped a shaft Gc. A coil spring 69, within each sleeve 51. is engaged between the lower end of the shaft .il and the closed bottom of the sleeve 61. The springs te function to absorb shocks imposed upon the hydraulic unit by the impact of the lower end of a drill pipe Jwith the bottom of the mandrel 28, and thus protect the apparatus against damrlChe shafts 58 project from the open upper ends of the sleeves 51 and carry at their upper ends bearings 1D in which are journalled trunnions 1l. The trunnions 1I are mounted in blocks 12 that are secured to the manifolds 48 and 59. Secured to each bearing and projecting upwardly therefrom is a socket 13 which he utilized as a support for a mandrel 29 when the latter is detached from the stem 23 (the reduced lower end of the cone may be inserted into a socket 13) The pivotal mounting of the hydraulic units in the bearings 1a provides for tilting oi the entire hydraulic unit to assume the angle of a drill pipe inserted into the mandrel 2S. Once this angle has been established, it may be fixed by means of anchor links each including a short length of chain 14 attached to the manifold 5i and having at its outer end a threaded rod 15 that is adapted to be passed through an apertured ear 15 secured to a leg S6 and to be threaded into a thumbnut l1 which, when screwed against the ear 16 will function to draw the adjacent side of the hydraulic unit toward that side of the easel. There is one of these tie linlrs at each side of the easel and thus 'it is possible to and f unit to the easel so as to lix hydraulic unit.

of the invention, the apparatus is transported to the site of operation and is lifted by means of the derrick winch up onto the derrick floor 18 (Fig. 7) alongside the rotary table 15, where it is arranged with the base members 64 straddling a radius of the rotary table and parallel thereto, so that the axis oi the bearings 10 will be disposed transversely to such radius. The hydraulic unit is then adjusted to an angle of inclination corresponding to the angle that will be assumed by a drill pipe lowered into the mandrel 2S. The mandrel 29 is detached irorn the stem 2t and a protector collar '53 is slipped over the upper end oi the stem and rested upon the upper end or" the follower sleeve 32. The mandrel 29 is then reattached to the upper end of the stem 23. Hydraulic pressure is then directed into the chamber i3 to move the piston S upwardly, causing the sleeve le to transmit pressure through the ange I9 to the guard sleeve and thence to the abutment 2i, raising the latter and the sleeve 32 and collar 33 supported thereby, pushing the collar 33 upwardly the cone 25 and expanding the collar 33 onto the mandrel 29. This movement is allowed to continue until the collar 35 has reached the position indicated at 33. The latch bolts i3 are then relieved by pulling them upwardly and the abutment members 45 are spread apart while presure fluid is introduced into the chamber 48 move the piston downwardly, permitting the guard sleeve 2li to sinh downwardly until the abutment members 4e are beneath the level oi the collar 33. The mandrel 29 is hen detached from the stem 23 and a fresh collar is slipped over the upper end of the stem '23, and the mandrel is then reattached to the stem. The drill pipe Si) is then lowered into the mandrel. The abutment members 40 are then moved. inwardly to the positions shown in Fig. 6, beneath the collar 33' and are latched in closed positions. Pressure fluid is again applied in the chamber tie the hydraulic the position of the In the operation l and a second. cycle of operation is initiated,

33 being pushed upwardly and 25 onto the mandrel 29 the second collar expanded over the cone while the nrst collar 33 is pushed ofi of the end of the mandrel onto the drill pipe. As the upper end of the collar 33 grips the drill pipe, the drill pipe will be lifted in unison with the further upward movement or the collar so as to permit thecollar to slide freely off the end of the mandrel. 2S without resistance from the drill pipe.

The mandrel is then again detached from the stem, a -third collar is inserted over the upper end of the stem, and the second cyiJ e oi operan tion is repeated. lt will now be vapparent that in each cycle of operation, one collar is expanded onto the mandrel while another collar is being pushed ofi the mandrel onto a drill pipe. Ai ,er each cycle of operation, a drill pipe with a collar thereon may be withdrawn from the mandrel and attached to a section of pipe supported in the rotary table, and anew section of drill pipe may then be attached to the derriclr winch and inserted into the mandrel. The operation of applying a protector collar can be executed in a short time, not over one or two minutes, as contrasted to an average of about ten minutes required for applying `protector collars with existing apparatus. The necessity for carrying a mandrel with a collar applied thereto from the drill pipe rack to the derrick floor is completely eliminated.

Fig. 8 illustrates a modified form of the invention in W ich the guard sleeve For lifting the apparatus onto and off of the derriok oor I provide a pair of hooks 82 to which grapple chains on the derrick winch can be attached.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for applying a resilient protector collar to a drill pipe, comprising: a base; inner and outer radially spaced cylinders and a bottom ring joining' the lower ends of said cylinders and cooperating therewith to denne an annular sleeve will function to protect the operator of the apparatus against 10 through said connections so as to selectively deliver hydraulic uid under pressure into either of said hydraulic chambers.

2. Apparatus as denecl in claim 1, wherein said pressure transmitting means comprises an integral ange on the moved upwardly.

3. Apparatus as dened in claim abutment means for transmitting push from. the

ing downwardly projecting means to loosely pilot Within said upper end of said guard sleeve, said abutment means further including radially sepaupwardly over said expander mandrel.

4. Apparatus as abutment means for transmitting push from the cone and onto the References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

